The Croatian teenager comes to Hotspur Way with the sort of reputation which had many supporters on the edge of their seats awaiting his debut. And given that he comes as a highly-rated prospect from Hajduk Split, the 18-year-old was pursued by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but Daniel Levy somehow convinced him to don the Tottenham shirt.
While there was a lot of buzz when he came in, he did make an instant impact. Given how against Reading (in the North Londoners’ pre-season friendly on 19 July), Vuskovic made his unofficial debut for the Lilywhites, and it looked like he had been here for years. He had a finely taken header and an assist to his name within the first 45 minutes of his debut, and suddenly, if you talk to people, the Croat had gone from “one for the future” to “why isn’t he starting next week?”
Vuskovic did impress a lot on that debut vs Reading, but is it enough?
And okay, I know that that Reading game was only a pre-season friendly, but he showed that composure in the game alongside his physicality and decision-making, which was a sort of a highlight, and the Tottenham supporters over the years have seen enough to see when a player has something, and Vuskovic (in my opinion) showed plenty.
And given that, you’d think that it is a valid argument for easing the teen into the chaos of English football. And that could mean a loan transfer.
See, he is new to England and English football (someone argued with me in one of the bars), and maybe the idea of him playing senior minutes in the Championship, given that with its unforgiving tempo and playing on the other side, a no-nonsense striker might end up actually making a lot of sense. More so than him sitting in the under-21s until February or floating around Hotspur Way with nothing to really play for.
But there is a risk here as well. We have seen that loan transfers can go either way, which is why it is important to find him a club that suits his style, or he would be playing regular minutes instead of being parked on the bench, and then suddenly your elite talent is forced into a corner. Let’s be honest, Levy & Co. have got this wrong before with the likes of Troy Parrott, Djed Spence, and Tanguy Ndombele (does it ring any bells)?.
And then there is the Thomas Frank layer?
With Thomas Frank taking charge of the reins at Tottenham, it gives you another layer to the conversation. The Dane head coach has shown that he prefers a structured approach, and we saw (in the pre-season games) how he is already laying the groundwork for a more defensively balanced side. And the fact that there is less chaos would be music to Vuskovic’s ears.
The 51-year-old has a track record of developing young players, and he does so by giving them clarity in their roles.
This one could be down to Frank, I would think. If the Dane sees Luka as someone who has that capacity but it is still raw and needs to be looked upon from day one, then making him stay at Hotspur Way sounds more sensible, even if minutes are limited at first. And given that Tottenham would be prioritising developing in the right environment, he doesn’t need to be playing every week then (at least for right now).
Author Opinion
I think if an opportunity for a perfect loan comes along, then I would surely consider shipping him for the season. So if you think a Championship club who prefer playing out from the back and are willing to start the teenager regularly, then for sure, it is worth considering. But this one has to be strategic and not just picking whatever destination feels convenient. See, it is not about sending him out and hoping for the best because (as we saw) Luka Vuskovic is not just another promising kid.
He might be the leading centre-back at N17 for the next decade, and that is exactly why these decisions within the corridors at Hotspur Way need to be made with care.